Can you recommend a book for a Seniors' Book Club? (80-85 year olds)

[Corie]

I am now working part-time as an Activities Assistant at a senior living facility. I'd like to start a book club.

Can you recommend some books for the older crowd? Our average age is 83 years old. :)


Thanks so much!!

[AnnieW625]

I started reading romance and non violent suspense novels (Richard North Patterson, James Patterson, and Sidney Sheldon come to mind) when I was 18 because my then 66 year old Grandma was reading them and she thought I would like them. She is 90 now and still reads pretty relevant books. She read the Girl With A Dragon Tattoo series of books about 10-12 years ago before I had even heard of them.

Could you do a survey? Or just bring a variety of books and see what they pick? That might be the easiest have them each pick a book to discuss even if it is different. After you have done that then you can narrow down the interests of the participants.

(Edited: I can’t subtract)


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[SnuggleBuggles]

My dh's grandmother and I used to mail books back and forth to each other and share our thoughts. I had forgotten that- thanks for the good memory. :) We mostly did mysteries and books like Annie mentions. My aunt just passed and she was 90- she loved those Lee Child books especially. The One for the Money series could be fun too by Janet Evanovich.

[NCGrandma]

At my retirement community Library, mysteries of all sorts are very popular. Some residents are fond of thrillers with some sex and violence, others (like me!) prefer "cozy mysteries." The Library committee knows that they need to buy the latest in popular mystery series as soon they are released. A few popular authors to get you started: Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs series, Louise Penny's Armand Gamache series, Daniel Silva's Gabriel Allon series.

Other popular categories here are biographies of well-known people (there was quite a list to check out Michelle Obama's autobiography) and well-written history (Chernow's book about Ulysses Grant was very popular here, but it's way too long...). But for biography, current events, history, etc., you need to have an idea of your audience. My community is more politically active and left-leaning than many retirement communities.

A couple of other points: will the group be mostly/all women, or a mixed group? Will some/all of the group need large print books? Do some of them prefer to read on Kindles? (Here, Kindles are popular replacements for large print books.) Do you know whether there are particular common interests that might suggest some books? (Here, we have a Jewish literature book club, a women's history book club, a poetry book club and a play reading group, among others.)

Anyway, your idea is great, however you decide to approach it. After you get started, you’ll get a better sense of what your particular residents are interested in.


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[Ceepa]

Keep in mind you may need Large Print editions if reading paper books, rather than electronic ones, which could allow for changes to font size.

And as far as LP books, they can have limited selection.

Book club is an awesome idea, though.

[Corie]

At my retirement community Library, mysteries of all sorts are very popular. Some residents are fond of thrillers with some sex and violence, others (like me!) prefer "cozy mysteries." The Library committee knows that they need to buy the latest in popular mystery series as soon they are released. A few popular authors to get you started: Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs series, Louise Penny's Armand Gamache series, Daniel Silva's Gabriel Allon series.

Other popular categories here are biographies of well-known people (there was quite a list to check out Michelle Obama's autobiography) and well-written history (Chernow's book about Ulysses Grant was very popular here, but it's way too long...). But for biography, current events, history, etc., you need to have an idea of your audience. My community is more politically active and left-leaning than many retirement communities.

A couple of other points: will the group be mostly/all women, or a mixed group? Will some/all of the group need large print books? Do some of them prefer to read on Kindles? (Here, Kindles are popular replacements for large print books.) Do you know whether there are particular common interests that might suggest some books? (Here, we have a Jewish literature book club, a women's history book club, a poetry book club and a play reading group, among others.)

Anyway, your idea is great, however you decide to approach it. After you get started, you’ll get a better sense of what your particular residents are interested in.





I love cozy mysteries!! I'm going to send you a PM. :)

[lizzywednesday]

My grandma is in that age range and she enjoys biographies. I loaned her my copy of David McCullough's John Adams several years ago. Ron Chernow's biographies of Alexander Hamilton & George Washington are great reads; I have his Grant bio on my to-be-read list.

If nonfiction, but not necessarily biography/memoir is something they enjoy, I also liked McCullough's 1776, Band of Brothers by Stephen E Ambrose, and The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History by Robert Edsel.

If they'd prefer something shorter than McCullough or Chernow, I enthusiastically recommend Julia Child's memoir My Life in France, which she wrote with her nephew Alex Prud'homme. It's the source material for the Meryl Streep bits in the film version of Julie & Julia (which is another book I recommend, but Julie is a bit foul-mouthed and unlikeable so it'd be for anyone but the Seniors!)

In fiction, I've really been enjoying the Maisie Dobbs series by Jacqueline Winspear; the first book is Maisie Dobbs.

Grandma recommended a biography of Pope John Paul II, but I wasn't interested so I don't know the author's name.

[lizzywednesday]

... Louise Penny's Armand Gamache series...

I'm in love with Three Pines right now. (Working my way through Gamache now; I have about 4 books before I'm "current.")

[Corie]

At my retirement community Library, mysteries of all sorts are very popular. Some residents are fond of thrillers with some sex and violence, others (like me!) prefer "cozy mysteries." The Library committee knows that they need to buy the latest in popular mystery series as soon they are released. A few popular authors to get you started: Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs series, Louise Penny's Armand Gamache series, Daniel Silva's Gabriel Allon series.

Other popular categories here are biographies of well-known people (there was quite a list to check out Michelle Obama's autobiography) and well-written history (Chernow's book about Ulysses Grant was very popular here, but it's way too long...). But for biography, current events, history, etc., you need to have an idea of your audience. My community is more politically active and left-leaning than many retirement communities.

A couple of other points: will the group be mostly/all women, or a mixed group? Will some/all of the group need large print books? Do some of them prefer to read on Kindles? (Here, Kindles are popular replacements for large print books.) Do you know whether there are particular common interests that might suggest some books? (Here, we have a Jewish literature book club, a women's history book club, a poetry book club and a play reading group, among others.)

Anyway, your idea is great, however you decide to approach it. After you get started, you’ll get a better sense of what your particular residents are interested in.





Thank you so much for mailing me your retirement community's activity calendar!!! I really appreciate it!! :)

[ChicagoNDMom]

A family member in that age range just read Orphan Train in he retirement community book club and loved it.

[NCGrandma]

Thank you so much for mailing me your retirement community's activity calendar!!! I really appreciate it!! :)

Glad it arrived! As you can see, we have lots going on. Most folks can find things that appeal to them.


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